Many lighting and imaging systems employ near point light sources, such as light emitting diodes and laser diodes, as sources of illumination. Although such systems can be more efficient than lighting systems that rely on more conventional diffuse lighting sources, they typically require a significant number of near point light sources to illuminate the desired area. For example, back-lit signs, computer and television screens, and stop-signs typically use a large two-dimensional array of near point light sources, where the area of the array and, therefore, the number of near point sources in the array increases in proportion to the size of the area to be illuminated. Similarly, near point light sources used in spatial and spectroscopic medical imaging applications are often used in a one-to-one ratio of light source to detectors in a detector array. Unfortunately, as the desired array size increases, the practicality of increasing the size and number of near point light sources in the array decreases.